Slow Cooker Lasagna

Slow Cooker Lasagna -

This recipe is so easy, you might think that you are doing something wrong. It is delicious!

Ingredients:

 1 pound lean ground beef
 1 onion, chopped
 2 teaspoons minced garlic
 1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 1 (12 ounce) package lasagna noodles
 12 ounces cottage cheese
 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until brown. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and oregano and stir until well incorporated. Cook until heated through.
In a large bowl mix together the cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
Spoon a layer of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of the uncooked lasagna noodles. Break to fit noodles into slow cooker. Top noodles with a portion of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, and cheese until all the ingredients are used.
Cover, and cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Italian Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce

Italian Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce -

The bechamel adds a little something special to this wonderful lasagna. Here part skim ricotta and mozzarella and low-fat milk has been used to cut some of the fat in this dish. You won't notice the difference.

Ingredients:

 cooking spray
 1/2 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
 3 tablespoons butter
 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 2 cups low-fat milk
 1 pinch salt
 1 pinch ground nutmeg
 1 egg
 1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
 1 tablespoon dried parsley
 2 (24 ounce) jars marinara sauce, divided
 1 (9 ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles, divided
 1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms, divided
 1 (16 ounce) package shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place the sausage in a skillet over medium heat and cook until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Drain the sausage and set aside.
To make bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Allow the flour and butter to cook until light and foamy, about 2 minutes, whisking constantly; whisk in milk, a little at a time. Whisk in the salt and nutmeg and bring the sauce to a bare simmer, whisking constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove sauce from the heat and set aside.
In a bowl, beat the egg and stir in the ricotta cheese and parsley until thoroughly combined.
To assemble lasagna, pour about 1 1/2 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and top the sauce with 4 lasagna noodles, overlapping if necessary. On the noodles, layer 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, followed by 1/3 of the cooked sausage, 1/3 cup of mushrooms, 1/4 of the bechamel sauce, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1/8 cup of the Parmesan cheese and 1 more cup of marinara sauce. Repeat the layers twice more, ending with a final layer of noodles topped with a layer of marinara sauce, bechamel sauce, the remaining mozzarella cheese, and remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and the noodles are tender, about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until the top cheese layer is browned, about 5 more minutes. Allow the lasagna to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Sausage and Zucchini Lasagna

Sausage and Zucchini Lasagna -

A very filling twist on a traditional lasagna.

Ingredients:

 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 1 pound bulk pork sausage
 2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
 1 pound ricotta cheese
 1 egg white
 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 6 no-boil lasagna noodles, or more if needed
 2 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour about 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the sausage and zucchini until the meat is no longer pink and the zucchini pieces are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain excess fat from the skillet, and set the sausage mixture aside. While the sausage and zucchinis are cooking, mix together the ricotta cheese, egg white, mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese in a bowl until well combined.
Place 3 lasagna noodles into the bottom of the baking dish on top of the spaghetti sauce, overlapping noodles slightly if necessary. Spread half the sausage-zucchini mixture on top of the noodles. Spread half the cheese mixture over the meat and zucchini, and pour 1 cup of spaghetti sauce evenly over the cheese mixture. Spread the sauce over the cheese mixture with a spoon or spatula. Repeat layers, starting with 3 more noodles, the rest of the sausage mixture, the rest of the cheese mixture, and 1 more cup of spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until the lasagna is bubbling and the Parmesan cheese has browned, about 45 minutes.

Homemade Lasagna

Homemade Lasagna -

This is a special homemade lasagna recipe with made from scratch tomato sauce and delicious, cheesy filling. I have found none better anywhere. Serve with a leafy green salad and crusty garlic bread, if desired.

Ingredients:

 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
 1/2 pound ground pork
 1/2 pound lean ground beef
 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
 1 clove garlic, crushed
 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
 1/2 cup minced onion
 1/8 teaspoon white sugar
 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 1 pound small curd cottage cheese
 3 eggs
 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 2 teaspoons salt
 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
Place pork and beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, oregano, onion, sugar, basil and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place 2 layers of noodles on the bottom of dish; layer 1/2 of the cheese mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the sauce; repeat layers.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.

Eggplant and Ground Beef Lasagna

Eggplant and Ground Beef Lasagna -

This recipe came out as a yummy combo of the lasagna and moussaka! Spinach lasagna noodles work well in this if you can get them. Also, try ground lamb in place of the beef for another variation.

Ingredients:

 9 lasagna noodles
 1/2 pound ground beef
 1 onion, chopped
 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
 2 cloves garlic, crushed
 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-flavored crushed tomatoes
 1 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
 2 cups mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Grease the bottom and sides of 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the lasagna noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
Cook and stir ground beef, onion, mushrooms, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat until the beef is completely browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir canned tomatoes into ground beef; simmer until sauce has formed, 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour about one-fourth of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Layer noodles on top of sauce.
Spread a thin layer of sauce on top of noodles.
Place a layer of eggplant slices on top of noodle and sauce layer.
Sprinkle about one-fourth of the cheese on top of eggplant slices.
Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, until ending with a layer of sauce topped with remaining cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and brown on top, about 40 minutes.